Her Second-Chance Family. Holly Jacobs

too. She’s not happy about it.”

      Clinton snorted. “She’s never happy.”

      It had only been four months, Audrey reminded herself...again.

      “Well, as long as we’re all up, let’s get our day started.” Audrey sat up in bed. “I’ve got to go into the office today for a meeting, so you guys are hanging out with Maggie May.”

      “Are you going to hear about your project?” Clinton asked.

      “Yes. I feel nervous every time I think about it.” She knew that even if the firm was awarded the project it wouldn’t be her project. She was too new, too young to be in charge, but it felt like hers.

      She’d gone to work at Lebowitz Architecture expecting to do grunt work for years. But Mr. Lebowitz was a one-man firm, and because of that, it wasn’t long before he’d also let her take an active role in the houses he’d designed. She’d eventually helped at every stage, from planning through construction. She frequently drove by those houses, two of them in particular, simply to admire them.

      But this new project was different.

      The city had donated two downtown lots next to the old railroad tracks for a children’s education center with an emphasis on science and green technology. The plan was to stress innovation and include a small building for classes and lectures, a playground and a community garden area.

      Audrey wanted the project so much she could taste it. Mr. Lebowitz had let her take the lead in putting together the firm’s proposal.

      And she’d come up with the name for their submission: The Greenhouse—Growing Resources: Educating, Empowering Naturalists House.

      Erie already had LEAF—the Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park—on the west side of town and TREC—the Tom Ridge Environmental Center—at the base of the peninsula. The Greenhouse would both fit in with and complement the city’s existing educational centers.

      If she got the job.

      Well, if Lebowitz Architecture got it.

      Clinton pulled her from her thoughts. “Me and Bea aren’t worried. You’ll get it all right. You’re too good not to.”

      “I wish I felt as confident.” Having someone believe in her that much meant everything. She’d never got that kind of support from a family, but she’d had Ava and Merrill once upon a time. They’d believed she could do anything, just like the kids did now.

      Audrey tried to shake off the nightmare’s residual dark blot. She couldn’t change the past, but she could make a better future.

      Clinton, as always, seemed to sense the shift in her mood. Why wouldn’t he? He’d witnessed more of her nightmares and their aftermath than the others. “Come on, Audrey. You not only have LEED credentials, you practice what you preach. We’re the only people I know with a solar water heater and solar panels. You are the perfect architect for this project.” Clinton’s rust-colored hair was more unkempt than usual, and his crooked grin said he found her concerns amusing.

      Maybe she’d lost Ava and Merrill after that terrible night, but she’d found Clinton, then Bea, and now Willow. She couldn’t control where her mind took her at night, but she was in charge during the day. She’d built a wonderful family that she was proud of and that’s what she would focus on.

      She’d get this project and she’d win over Willow and...

      “Let’s go, Aud,” Bea commanded. “Why don’t you get the first shower before Clinton? He takes so long so he’ll smell good for all the girrrrlllls, but it won’t help.”

      Bea might not actually be related to Clinton by blood, but the ten-year-old was his little sister in every other way.

      “Bea,” Clinton warned on cue, which sent the younger girl screeching down the hall.

      In that moment, Clinton looked like any other kid might, as he smiled at Audrey before running after Bea.

      A loud series of happy shrieks followed, then Willow screamed at the two of them to shut up, which only made them yell even louder.

      The last vestiges of the nightmare sloughed away as Audrey crawled out of bed and grabbed her bathrobe.

      When she stepped into the hall she came face-to-face with Willow, whose annoyance was palpable. “Seriously, what is wrong with you people? It’s not even eight in the morning and it’s summer vacation. This house is so freakin’ loud.”

      “Sorry,” Audrey said. “I woke the kids.”

      “You had your nightmare again?”

      Audrey thought Willow’s face softened a bit as she asked the question. For a brief moment, she wondered if that was sympathy in the girl’s expression. Or maybe even empathy.

      Willow had never cried out in her sleep, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have bad dreams. She’d spent years in foster care, but before that her home life had given her enough fodder for nightmares for the rest of her life.

      “Yeah. It doesn’t happen as often as it used to, but likely it’ll never stop completely.” The only people who could fully understand were Merrill and Ava.

      After that night, they’d all tried to get their friendship back on track, but everything had changed. Ava and Merrill could never understand her connection with Clinton. He made them uncomfortable. But her need to balance her karma, she’d never found a better way to put it, won out, as far as she was concerned.

      She’d inadvertently been part of something truly harmful, so she felt she needed to make amends.

      But no matter how much she did, no matter how many ways she tried to leave a positive mark on the world, it never felt like enough.

      “Yeah, well, sorry about the nightmare,” Willow said. “But really, you gotta keep it down in the morning.” And with that, she stalked off down the hall. A moment later she looked back at Audrey. “I’ve got to go and mow today.”

      Audrey couldn’t help but feel encouraged that Willow remembered on her own. “Do you have everything you need?”

      “Yeah. I texted him back last night and reminded him I was coming so he could batten down the hatches ’cause his burglar was coming over.”

      Batten down the hatches? That was an odd phrase for a young girl to use. It was strange, like so many other things about Willow.

      Her newest foster daughter turned into her room, slamming the door behind her.

      Sooner or later, Audrey would figure Willow out. But not today.

      Today, she needed to get to the office.

      * * *

      TWO HOURS LATER, the kids were at Maggie May’s and Audrey sat across from Abe Lebowitz in his office. Not the main office where he met clients, but his private space, which was cluttered with models, books and a chair that would look more at home in a junkyard than an office.

      Mr. Lebowitz said he needed clutter in order to think and be inspired. If that was so, he must be the most inspired man in history, Audrey thought.

      And she loved it.

      “...so that’s yes,” he said.

      “Yes?” Audrey repeated, halfway between a question and a squeal. “Yes? We’ve got the project?”

      Abe Lebowitz smiled, the lines of his face crinkling. Audrey knew they came from a lifetime of laughter.

      “They approved the project and it’s ours,” he assured her. “And while the firm was awarded the project, I want you to know that I realize why. You pushed for this. You did the work. This project wouldn’t have been on my radar without you.”

      “I think we can really raise awareness, Mr. Lebowitz. The Lake Erie region is such a unique environment and we need to protect it. We have